French departmental speed limit could drop to 80 km/h
The speed limit on departmental roads in France could be reduced from 90 km/h to 80 km/h, according to reports today.
The government road safety group La Comit茅 interminist茅riel de s茅curit茅 routi猫re has yet to make a definite decision on the change, but it could be announced at the group鈥檚 next meeting, set for January 2018.
The reduction would apply to roads that do not have a central reservation 鈥榮eparator鈥� - such as a rail or a barrier - between the two carriageways.
This describes most of the French road network, to which the new speed limit could be applied as a means to 鈥渞educe the gravity of accidents and pollution, and [promote] better flow of traffic鈥�, according to reports.
Similarly, the road safety group La Ligue contre la violence routi猫re believes that the new measure will positively impact 鈥渟ome of the most dangerous roads鈥� when there is 鈥渕uch traffic鈥�, and will save 鈥�350 to 400 lives per year鈥�, said the group president, Chantal Perrichon, speaking to .
鈥淲hen will we understand that we have a duty of protection on our roads?鈥� she asked. 鈥淭his is a public health problem.鈥�
Perrichon is calling for the changes to go further, and would like to see motorway speed limits decrease from 130 km/h to 120 km/h too.
And yet, some critics are not happy with the idea to reduce speeds, with the drivers鈥� group, L'association 40 Millions d'automobilistes, calling the plan 鈥渁 new threat to drivers鈥� and launching an online petition asking the public to 鈥渟ay no鈥� to the proposed change.
The new speed limit would not help road safety, but simply increase the number of tickets and fines issued for speed infractions, the group alleges.
